Coal-shifter for locomotive-tenders.



H. H. VAUGHAN.

COAL SHIFTBR FOR LOGOMOTIVB TENDERS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.3,1914,

l 1 27, l I 8., Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Fig-I.

HENRY I-LLVA''GHAN, 0F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

COAL-SHIFTER FOR LOCOMOTIVE-TENDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, iii..

Application led October 3, 1914. Serial No. 864,817.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY I-I. VAUGHAN, residing at the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Shifters for Locomotive-Tenders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to the equipment for tenders whereby the coal 1s brought forward by means of a tiltable pan or hopper operated by compressed air, and it has for its object to provide an equipment of this kind which will more effectively move the coal forward, and at the same time 4 prevent coal dust and small pieces of coal from lodging between` the hopper at the bottom and walls of the coal space.

To this end the invention may be said brie'liy to consist of a tiltable hopper pivoted above the bottom of the coal space, and provided with a downward extension adapted to act as a pusher clearing away any coal which might happen to find its way beneath the forward end of the hopper.

Anotherfeature of the invention consists of means carried partially by the hopper and partially by the walls of the coal space for preventing the coal from working between the sides of the coal space and the sides of the hopper.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts, and wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of one-half of a coal space and hopper constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line c a Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line b b Fig. 2, and illustrating particularly the pivotal connection and the means whereby coal is prevented from working between the hopper and side wall of the space.

Great disadvantage has been experienced heretofore in connection with equipments of this kind, owing to the fact that coal dust and small particles of coal worked their way between the floor of the hopper and the floor of the coal space, also between the sides of the hopper and the coal space. The floor of the coal space in the tender is indicated at b, the side walls at c, the tiltable hopper at d,

compressed air cylinder at c with piston connection to the hopper at f. 'Ihe connections between the compressed air mechanism of the locomotive and this compressed air cylinder are of well known construction, and as they form no part of this invention, are not described herein.

In order to overcome the above mentioned diticulty the hopper is pivoted at a point about one-third from the top of the walls c to the coal space, and the bottom of this hopper is rraised above the bottom of the coal space, the forward end of the bottom of the hopper having a downwardly extending plate or apron g substantially equal in area to the cross section of the space between the hopper and bottom of the coal space. rlhis apron is stiffened by brackets 71,. The forward end of each side wall of the hopper has a forward extension 7c of substantially circular form, concentric with the pivot consisting of a bolt m extending through the wall of the tank and carrying rotatively thereon a bushing or hub a divided at right vangles to its axis, and each half having a Harige o, p, respectively, one of which (the half o) having the edge of the opening in the tank wall riveted thereto, and the other half, 7), having the edge of a concentric opening in the hopper-wall extension riveted thereto. In order to make a dust-tight joint between these parts the tank wall has an annular guide r riveted thereto, and a corresponding guide s is riveted to the extension lo, these guides having their inner portions oppositely offset, as shown in Fig. 3 to enable them to lie in overlapping relation. For the purpose of fitting the guide on the tank is made in halves with the division on a vertical center line, the rear half being placed first, and after the hopper has been set in place the front half is fastened, while the guide on the hopper is also made in halves with the division on a horizontal center line.

What I claim is as follows:

l. In a locomotive tender the combination with a portion of a tank presenting a coal space having a floor and sides, a hopper located within the space, of means for tilting the hopper including means for guiding the hopper and causing the forward edge thereof to move away from and return to the floor of the lcoal space each time the hopper is tilted from and returned to the floor of the coal space for the purf pose of expelling any coal from beneath the forward end of the hopper'.

2. In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space and a hopper within the space, of means for pivoting the hopper at a point a distance above the bottom of the hopper, the bottom of the hopper being raised above the bottom of the coal space, and means carried by the forward end of the hopper and substantially closing the space between the hopper and the bottom of the coal space, for the purpose set forth.

3. In atender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space and a hopperwithin the space, of means for pivoting the hopper at a point a distance above the bottom of the hopper, the bottom of the hopper being raised above the bottom of the coal space, and a depending transverse plate or apron carried by the forward end of the hopper, and substantially closing the space between the hopper and the bottom of the coal space, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space and a hopper within the space, of means for pivoting the hopper at a point a distance above the bottom of the hopper, the bottom of the hopper being raised above the bottom of the coal space, and a depending transverse plate or apron carried by the forward end of the hopper and substantially equal in area to the space between the hopper and the bottom of the coalv space, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space, and a hopper within the space, of means for pivoting the hopper at a point a distance above the bottom of the hopper, the bottom of the hopper being raised above the bottom of the coal space, and a depending transverse plate or apron carried by the f forward end of the hopper and substantially equal in area to the space between the hopper and the bottom coal space, and means rigidly bracing the apron relatively to the hopper, for the purpose set forth.

6.- In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space and a hopper pivoted within the space, of means presenting a substantially circular joint concentric with the pivot for forming a coal tight joint between the side of the hopper and the side of the coal space.

7. In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space, and a hopper within the space, of means for pivoting a hopper within the coal space, the sides of the hopper having substantially circular extensions concentric with the pivot, and each of such extensions having an offset annular guide rigidly fastened thereto, and corresponding guides rigidly fastened to the wall of the tank in overlapping relation with the first mentioned guides, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a tender, the combination with the portion of a tank presenting a coal space, and a hopper within the space, of means for pivoting a hopper at a point a distance above the bottom of the hopper, the sides of the hopper having substantially circular extensions concentric with the pivot, and each of such extensions having an offsetyannular guide rigidly fastened thereto, and y corresponding guides rigidly fastened to the wall of the tank in overlapping relation with the first mentioned guides for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses. Y y

HENRY II. VAUGHAN.

Witnesses:

GORDON G. COOKE, DAVID ROBERGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

